Your job as a fundraiser is to be the outside force that puts your donor in motion, emotionally and physically, so he or she cares about your mission and cares enough to make a gift. Here are six ways to jump-start the process.
There’s nothing like a “proactive, hands-on committee” to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
If you’re ready to reinforce your fundraising foundation, these basic guidelines can help you transition to what can grow to be a strong and dependable base of support — individual donors.
What's the value to fundraisers of an engagement? Where’s the money? When will it arrive? What will be the real ROI, especially relative to time spent?
Personalization is a great tool for marketing and fundraising … but there is a limit to how close you should get.
Fundraising copywriting is a craft. And like other craftspersons, we copywriters begin our training by learning some fundamental prewriting techniques designed to help us organize our thoughts so we can transcribe what's in our heads onto our documents. But, also like other craftspersons, as time goes by and we become more proficient and confident, we tend to skip those basic practices and jump straight into the job.
Speaking with one voice and sending consistent messages is key in fundraising success. Getting your team energized and feeling comfortable with sharing your story is a critical step in getting everyone prepared and comfortable to ask for a gift!
Oh, wait, it’s just another nonprofit e-newsletter! Check this list to make sure you are maximizing the opportunity.
Most copywriters maintain a "swipe file," a collection of direct-mail packages, emails, print ads, even magazine articles and books we use to generate new ideas. I recommend we also maintain a "fail file" so we can not only remember past mistakes, but understand them.
What is it about your organization that sets it apart from all the others? How can you show donors and potential donors that you are unique — even irreplaceable because you are doing something that no one else is doing? If you can’t show why you are different from everyone else, you’re going to have a hard time proving that someone should donate to you instead of another organization that does what seems to be the same thing.
